Fender for docks.



E. J. EUCIK.

FENDE R FOR nocxs.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. Hill.

Patented July 2, 1918.

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ATTORNEYS 1} UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARDJ. FUGIK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GREAT LAKES DREDGE AND DOCK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FENDER FOR DOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1918.

Application filed February 24, 1917. Serial No. 150,682.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. FUGIK, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fenders for Docks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to fenders for protecting concrete construction from the impact of vessels. Prior to this invention concrete docks and the like have been provided with a beam of wood running along the face thereof at a suitable elevation to prevent immediate contact between boats landing at the dock and the concrete. These beams have been rigidly secured to the face of the dock or in some instances partially embedded therein so as to practically form a part of the dock. While they serve the1r purpose to an extent they are open to the very serious objection that being rigid w1th the dock they immediately transmit a strain to the latter alongfithe line of the beam, and if the strain is su ciently great it results in cracking the concrete structure. Further more, when the beam becomes substantially worn out by the abrasion and pounding which it receives from the sides of vessels,

it requires replacement, which is difiicult and expensive by reason of its being secured to or embedded in the concrete. A further objection to this form of fender is that when a vessel comes in contact therewith it subjects the latter to a severe strain along a horizontal line which the vessel is not well adapted to withstand.

It is the object of my invention to provide a mat, or series of mats, of suitable area suspended along the face of the dock in such manner that they may have a certain movement relative to the dock to yield somewhat to the movement of a vessel parallel to the face of the dock, and therefore save the latter from this strain, and to distribute the force of the impact of the vessel over a large area of the dock and of the side of the vessel whereby injury to either is avoided.

In the accom anyin shown and in t e foll bwing specification described a preferred form of my invention. It is to be understood, however, that the specific disclosure is for the purpose of exdrawing I have emplification only, and that the scope of the invention is defined in the following claim in which I have endeavored to distlnguish it from the prior art so far as known to me without, however, relinquishing or abandoningsmy portion or feature thereof.

eferring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of a portion of a dock showing my invention applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same.

The dock 3 is shown, and may be of ordinary concrete construction, with eye-bolts 4 embedded in the upper face thereof at suitable intervals for the purpose to be described. From each eye-bolt is sus ended a mat 5 of suitable area formed 0 lumber which is suspended from the eye-bolt by means of a steel cable6. For ordinary purposes a mat eight feet square has been found desirable, and is preferably composed of three layers 7, 8, 9, of good hard wood, arranged with the grain crossing and secured together at short intervals by spikes or the like. I have found it to be satisfactory to make the layers of oak lankin four by twelve inches, and of a length depending upon the dimensions of the mat. The ends of the cable 6 are anchored to the mat by eye-bolts 10 which preferably extend completely through the mat as shown.

While I have described a preferred construction of the mat, it will be obvious that many of the advantages of my invention ma be secured without following the detai s set forth as to the dimensions and arrangement of the timbers incorporated in the mat the means for suspendin it from the dock, etc. The number of t ese mats and the distance apart alon the face of the dock will depend upon the c aracter of service that they are called upon to perform. It will be seen that the construction is particularly adapted to avoid lateral strain and to so distribute strains due to direct impact as to avoid injury to the dock and to the vessel concerned. The fender may be readily constructed by unskilled labor of common materials, and is easily installed and replaced, and by reason of its form and the distribution of strain it is not so readily worn out as are the constructions heretofore in use. Because of the fact that the fender therein; when Worn out it mwy bev discarded v and readily replaced at low expense.

I. a e. v A fender for docks and the'li-ke consisting of a large rectangular mat'composed of a series of layers. of timbers,,the grain of the adljec'ent leyers being at an angle to each other, and means for susgiending the fender 10 against the face of a doe I EDWARD J. FUGIK'."

Copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D; 03" 

